It's Been Awhile
by Ieyre
Summary: By accident, Joey stumbles upon a key to unlocking the past of Seto Kaiba. Now he and the gang are riding a roller coaster of past events and learning much more than they ever thought existed...But how will he react? CHAPTER 6 UP! FINALLY!
1. A Strange Sighting

Ieyre: Hello folks! Gee, it's been a while since I've posted anything, hasn't it?  
  
Yami Ieyre: *grumbles* Yes, I was enjoying the break...  
  
Ieyre: Well that's special for you. For those of you who've read something by me, sorry about the whole...three month delay thing. At least for "My One", anyway...I haven't given up on that, no way, but I just haven't worked out everything yet.  
  
Yami Ieyre: In layman's term-she never planned the fic from the start.  
  
Ieyre: SILENCE! Anyway, for those who've never read anything by me, I'm Ieyre (obviously) and this is my ever charming Yami. In the time since I last wrote, there's been an addition to our internet junkie family. Everyone, meet CHIBI YAMI IEYRE!  
  
CYI: Hiiiiiiiiii! Meesa Chibi 'Ami Ieyre!!! Mommy Yami says I'm gonna be evil just like her when I grow up!!!  
  
Yami Ieyre: *slight pride* They grow up so fast...to think that it was only a few weeks ago she didn't know what evil was...  
  
Ieyre: -_- Right. CYI was a birthday gift from Brood Mayran, a close net' friend of mine (read her stories!). My birthday was the 2nd of July, and it was a grand affair!  
  
Yami Ieyre: *turning her attention back to her aibou* What do you mean, 'grand affair'? The Birthday cake didn't even have candles on it!!  
  
Ieyre: -_-  
  
CYI: *giggles*  
  
Ieyre: Well, enough ranting! On with the fic, which comes from an idea I perfected while on a trampoline in Belgium. This is not a lie. I swear.  
  
DISCLAIMER: Yugi: Ieyre-sama does not own YGO. If she did, she would use her immense power to buy out Yu Yu Hakusho, Rurouni Kenshin, Inu-yasha, and Dragon Ball Z. And she would steal Seto, Hiei, Sesshomaru, Saito and Vegeta!!! Does this authoress have a love for rivals or what? Oh, and she loves Joey, Kuwabara, Inu-yasha, Sano and Goku! What's up with that? I mean- *in a momentary lapse of character spends several hours ranting about how the authoress loves characters who hate each other*  
  
*****************************************  
  
Joey Wheeler was normal in most every way. He was 16, tall, blond and generally good-natured. He enjoyed eating, hanging out with his close circle of friends, girls, making out with girls, flirting with girls, and, of course, the occasional tasteless girly video.  
  
  
  
On the other hand, there were many very strange things about him, as well. For one, an ancient Egyptian Pharaoh who had once saved the world inhabited his best friend. Well, for the record, had saved the world on multiple occasions. Joey had also had his mind controlled by a power hungry teen wielding a magic rod that was in allegiance with an evil thief who'd been dead for 5 thousand years.  
  
These things were the tip of the iceberg for Joey Wheeler. He had many strange habits as well...and one of them happened to be sitting in an exceptionally leafy tree and watching a garbage can in the back lot of his school. Which was what he was doing right now.  
  
Why was he doing this, you ask? Well, he was not actually watching the garbage can, but rather, who put what into the garbage can. This PATICULAR wastebasket was in a private parking lot at the back of the school. It was the last of all the garbage to be picked up and was fairly secluded in comparison with the rest of Domino High's waste disposal units.  
  
Being so alone made this garbage can the recipient of many an...illicit object. Cigarettes, beer bottles, and tasteless magazines were the usual. Joey enjoyed seeing what Domino High-schoolers were up to, what they were REALLY up to. It was interesting to Joey to find out what that shy girl in Math REALLY did in the bathrooms, or that that haughty cheerleader who had turned down a date with his best friend actually stuffs her bra with cotton balls and throws them in the can.  
  
That's why every day at certain breaks he would head up his tree to see who threw WHAT in the bin. The tree was perfectly positioned as well, and so good for climbing it was amazing. You could look out through the leafy branches and STILL have a perfect view of the parking lot and aforementioned can.  
  
So this was what Joey was doing one sunny afternoon. So far that day he had seen nothing but a petite, somewhat embarrassed looking girl. The girl deposited an empty tampon box into the receptacle, blushing so hard Joey suspected she had friends waiting in the narrow gap between the back wall and fence. Sure enough, there was a distant giggling noise coming from that direction, and the girl run off, giggling as well.  
  
But that had been over a quarter of an hour before our current scene took place. Joey sighed. Today was always a pretty slow day in the week. Maybe he'd come back later...  
  
Joey froze.  
  
He was in the process of climbing down, when he heard footsteps coming from the gap. He immediately crawled back up into his spot and peaked over the branches to see who it was.  
  
Joey did not recognize the tall figure at first, but he could see plainly that they were a student and male, wearing the rather bright Domino High blue boys' uniform. They came alone, and were rather uninteresting at first sight.  
  
But as the figure strode closer, his features became sharper and clearer. And Joey's eyes widened. First with recognition, then with surprise. And then they narrowed completely and an evil grin replaced them. For there was no mistaking that stride.  
  
Seto Kaiba was walking towards the bin.  
  
Seto.  
  
Kaiba.  
  
For Joey, this was too good, but he definitely hoped it was true. His mind was working everything out in steps:  
  
Seto Kaiba was walking towards the infamous garbage can. With his briefcase. Which meant that he was going to deposit something in it. Which meant that he had something he wanted to GET RID OF, discreetly.  
  
Joey then realized that this meant Kaiba actually KNEW something about Domino High Urban tradition, which struck him as being really bizarre. Nevertheless, he pushed it to the back of his mind and continued his step-by-step analysis of the situation.  
  
If Kaiba wanted to get rid of something discreetly, it was obviously something bad. Or embarrassing. However, weirdo Kaiba logic rendered just about anything even the remotest bit undignified a threat to his pride.  
  
Joey's eyes followed Kaiba's every step as the brunette strode over to the can, face expressionless. The CEO of Kaiba Corp. had always been hard to read, emotionally, and this occasion was no exception. His cobalt blue eyes were nearly vacant, yet held a small but distinct contemplative air, as if the multi-billionaire was in deep thought.  
  
He stopped directly in front of the bin, swiftly. Immediately, Kaiba placed his silver brief case on the ground and bent over it, fiddling with the buttons. Joey peered over the branches, expectantly, and when the CEO had finished, he arose with a single object in hand.  
  
A plain, black tape.  
  
Joey stared at the tape, now clutched in Kaiba's hand, quizzically. What was so bad about it? It was unmarked, not intimidating, and over-all uninteresting looking. The blonde's mind [Yami Ieyre: *smirks* Mind? Yeah right.] raced through the scenarios.  
  
It HAD to be a security tape-maybe Kaiba had been caught making out with one of his secretaries on tape and now he was destroying the evidence. Joey almost laughed aloud at the idea, but he forcibly put his hand on tope of his mouth and turned his eyes back to the dragon tamer.  
  
Said CEO was now holding the tape, and Joey could see even from a great distance away that his hand was shaking. Kaiba was staring at the video with mixed feelings. Instead of immediately shoving it into the garbage can and walking away, he examined the black cassette with a look of great...longing. As if he really didn't want to throw it away at all...  
  
Hurriedly, Kaiba the emotional fortress pushed away any second thoughts he might have had and forcibly pushed the tape into the bin. He then turned away without looking back and grabbed his suitcase, half-running down the alley back to the main school. He left no evidence that he had been there.  
  
Except for the tape.  
  
Joey stared curiously at the spot where his least favorite classmate had been standing, moments before. The brunette had done several very uncharacteristic things, and it perturbed Joey beyond reason.  
  
Kaiba never showed his true motives to anyone, always trying to do things without any help from others and a solid rock intuition. Never swaying, and rarely showing emotion beyond a smirk.  
  
Yet he had just SEEN Kaiba sway. He had hesitated, he wasn't sure. He was uncomfortable about something Seto Kaiba was nervous. About the tape.  
  
Not very Kaiba.  
  
Joey stared at the garbage can a moment longer thinking.  
  
What would be the RIGHT thing to do in this situation? He could get down from his tree, walk to the front of school and he would probably make it just in time for Math Class. If he didn't want to, Joey would never have to think about this event, ever again.  
  
But then, he DID want to think about it. He had a strange mixed feeling-one of dislike, revenge, and...curiosity. What would the CEO want to keep so secret?  
  
Joey smiled. There was only one way to find out...  
  
***********************  
  
Ieyre: Dun dun DUUUUNNNN!  
  
Yami Ieyre: *yawns* That was vaguely amusing...what say you, Mini-Me?  
  
CYI: Hehehe...Joey STUPID!!  
  
Ieyre: ^_^;;;;; Well...so, how was this for a first chapter? I know it's probably not very interesting, but don't worry! Next chapter has actual DIALOGUE!  
  
Yami Ieyre: *in mock excited voice* WOW! I can't believe people are actually going to SPEAK to each other in the next chapter!  
  
Ieyre: -_-  
  
CYI: *tries to imitate Ieyre, but fails* ~_~  
  
Yami Ieyre and Ieyre: ^_^;;;;  
  
CYI: *claps little chibi hands*   
  
Ieyre: Well, I better wrap things up...anyway, that was sorta the prologue. Things will move along pretty fast, but expect more of people talking ABOUT Seto than the man himself. Sorry about that ^_^; Anyway, ciao! See you all next chappy!  
  
CYI: BYE!!!!  
  
Yami Ieyre: ...Goodbye, foolish mortals. HAVE FUN, but remember that one day I will RULE YOU ALL!!! So you better get your kicks while you CAN!!! BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA-*is hit over head by frying pan, courtesy of Ieyre* Ouchies...*faints*  
  
Ieyre: Remember kids, don't try this at home ^_^. Oh, and always R&R!!! BYE!!! 


	2. Yugi and friends hear the news

Ieyre: HEY ALL!!! When I posted Chapter 1, it was 4:27. I then went to watch Yami kick the Rare Hunter's butt and Seto-kun to be all POed on the sidelines ^_^. I came back at 5:03. And low and behold, two reviews in my in-box! What joy! Thanks so much for the positive feed-back. As for what you guys thinks on the tape...well, the Ballet Recital one just made me laugh. The thought is SOOOO funny ^_^  
  
Yami Ieyre: *Sounding suspiciously like Hiei from Yu Yu Hakusho* Hn. I can't believe they actually LIKED that.  
  
CYI: *Is wearing mini double buns and black tee, like Yami Ieyre* HI AGAIN! Mamie Ieyre tells me to wave at reviewers!!! HI REVIEWERS!!! *gurgles*  
  
Yami Ieyre: *hisses* Don't listen to Ieyre! BOO the reviewers!  
  
CYI: *As confused, eyes become ultra-wide and super kawaii*  
  
Reviewers: AWWWW! KAWAII ^_^!!!  
  
Yami Ieyre: -_-  
  
Ieyre: ^_^;;; Well, that was...interesting. Now...reviewers...  
  
Mistress Fluffy and DMG: Yay, you put me on your favs! THANKS! I'm very glad you like the fic, and hope you enjoy this chapter as much as the last one!  
  
Kelly Noel: Yes, Kaiba-kun is very secretive, isn't he? But be forewarned, his secret may not be as dirty as you expect...  
  
Tracey's Sketchbook: Hey, girl! I just talked to you today ^_^ Anyway, glad you like Yami and CYI, they are a kick, aren't they?  
  
Harpielady1: Hey! Oh, and say hello to your muse to, it was very nice of her to compliment my story ^_^. As for what the tape is, you'll actually find out next chapter. Ain't I EVIL??? I can't tell you what it is, but...well, all I can say is you might be surprised.  
  
Blue Lagoon Loon: *laughs at review* Those are all good guesses *laughs*, but I think you should safely assume that Seto doesn't have any weird ballet fetish we're not aware of...or does he? *shifty eyes*  
  
Emmel: O_O...Um...you'll find out next chapter...  
  
pruningshears: I explained Battle City ^_^;;;? Um...where?   
  
Lady of the Thread: Glad you reviewed, thanks a bundle! I think this is the most reviews I've ever gotten for a first chapter...  
  
Brood Mayran and the always-loved Zutso-kun: What can I say? We love you guys ^_^  
  
Ieyre: Well, that's the reviews I've got so far! If anyone else has reviewed since then, well...thank you too! And now, to the fic!  
  
Yami Ieyre: -_- Great.  
  
CYI: *Singing to herself* Lalalalalalala!  
  
Ieyre: ^_^;;; Um, let's just proceed to the fic, shall we?  
  
DISCLAIMER: Yami: Ieyre does not own YGO, or any other merchandise or whatever else she mentions in this little fiction. She is in possession of several pieces of YGO and anime books and crud, as well as a Yami and Millennium Item and a cat who is overweight. And if she tries to make Kaiba a better duelist that me in this fic I will defy the power of Microsoft Word and knock her block--*The power of Microsoft Word over powers him and he is placed in an ultra kawaii baby costume w/pacifier. Then everyone evil on the show comes and laughs at him.*  
  
********************************************  
  
"Hey Joey!"  
  
Joey Wheeler headed over to his friends' lunch table; backpack a bit heavier than twenty minutes previously. There was still ten minutes left in lunch, just enough time to tell the gang about the black tape (now nestled between a Lit. book and an old piece of baloney. Whether the baloney was on top of the tape when Joey fished it out of the garbage can or already in his backpack is undetermined).  
  
"Joey...where've you been, man?" Asked Tristan Taylor, scooting down the bench so Joey could slide in.  
  
Assembled were Tristan Taylor, of course, and three others. Yugi Mouto looked up from his processed meat school lunch to greet his best friend. Ryou Bakura, who did not in the slightest look disgusted with his homemade lunch, also said hello, and Tea Gardner gave a motherly sigh and hello at Joey's extreme lateness.  
  
"I've got A LOT to tell you guys." Joey responded to Tristan's inquiry, stuffing Tea's cast-off fries into his mouth. "You won't BELIEVE what I've just seen."  
  
"Actually, I probably won't BELIEVE whatever brilliant excuse you have for being late again." Said Tea, wryly. Joey simply rolled his eyes.  
  
"You guys know how I've been late for lunch these last few weeks?" Joey continued. "Well, the truth is I've found this great can-watching spot."  
  
"You mean the can in the back of school?" Yugi asked, now interested.  
  
"Exactly Yug'. The can where everyone puts things they don't want other people to see."  
  
" 'Can-watching spot'? Joey, do you mean you SPY on people who use that can?" Tea asked, clearly unamused.  
  
The blond grinned.  
  
"I wouldn't call it...spying, per say. More like...careful observation of our school's more...dodgy students."  
  
"JOEY!"  
  
"Look, Tea, don't have a cow. I was just getting to why I was late, see?"  
  
"Why WERE you late?" Bakura asked quietly. "We bought you a lunch but Tristan ended up EATING it, you took so long." Tristan grinned and sweatdropped.  
  
"Well..." Joey paused to glare at Tristan, "I was watching the can as usual, during lunch, ya' know..."  
  
"All to well." Tea muttered. Joey, whether he heard her or not, ignored her.  
  
"...And I happened to see a student deposit a very particular, unusual item into our school's finest waste receptacle." He continued, "I feel it is my duty to bring the item in question to someone's attention."  
  
Looking around to see if anyone was watching, Joey slowly pulled the cassette out of his backpack. His friends were hardly impressed.  
  
"That's IT??" Tristan exclaimed scornfully. "It's just a stupid TAPE!"  
  
Yugi and Bakura gave Joey confused looks, and Tea simply shook her head in  
  
exasperation. Joey sweatdropped, realizing he had forgotten to tell his friends   
  
who the tape BELONGED to. They now believed him to be a complete idiot [Yami Ieyre: *snort* BELIEVED him to be an idiot?] and had bounced back to their normal selves, uninterested in what he had to say. But Joey knew exactly how to change that...  
  
"Oh..." Joey said off-handedly, as everyone prepared to leave for his or her next classes. "Did I neglect to mention that that this tape belongs to none other than our dear friend, Seto Kaiba?"  
  
This simple statement got just the reaction Joey had hoped for. Tristan spat out the last gulp of his soda with tremendous gusto. Yugi dropped his Algebra 2 book on his foot, violet eyes widening even more than usual. Tea knocked into Bakura and even HE looked surprised.  
  
All thoughts of the bell were quickly forgotten.  
  
"WHAT?" The four said in complete shocked unison.  
  
"I think you heard me..." Joey grinned.  
  
"No way!" Tristan laughed and snatched the tape from Joey's outstretched hands. "Kaiba...?"  
  
"Way. I saw the stuck up CEO put it in the garbage can myself."  
  
"And you took it OUT? You STOLE it??" Tea snatched the tape from Tristan, not laughing.  
  
"Hey, Tea...one's man trash is another man's treasure." Joey responded quickly.  
  
"Tea's right, you know, Joey." Bakura pointed out. "I don't think it's best if you meddle in other people's affairs."  
  
"Relax, Bakura. This is KAIBA we're talking about."  
  
"That's exactly the point, Joey. There's a lot of things we don't know about Kaiba. You could have stumbled upon anything-and you might end up knowing more than you want to." said Yugi wisely.  
  
"Kaiba needs to learn that the whole world's not against him," Joey defended. "He's just to damn paranoid, if you ask me. If he had any FRIENDS, he might not have to sneak mysterious tapes into garbage cans. He would have someone to talk to about it."  
  
"Why do YOU care so much about it, Joey?" asked Tristan.  
  
"Because, I want to see what it is that has Kaiba so worried. He was awfully...preoccupied, when I saw him."  
  
"You should just put it back where you found it, Joey." Tea persisted.  
  
"Are you saying you're not the SLIGHTEST bit interested, Tea? Bakura, Yugi?"  
  
There was an uneasy silence. Tea hesitated,  
  
"Well..."  
  
"See? Look, why don't we just watch it after school today? I mean, how bad could it possibly be?" [Yami Ieyre: Dear Ra, is that foreshadowing or WHAT?]  
  
"Yugi has the best VCR...do you mind if we use the TV in your room, Yugi?" Tristan asked.  
  
"Um...well...I guess that's fine." Yugi said uneasily.  
  
"Great! Bakura, you busy after school?"  
  
"Me? Er...no, I'm quite free."  
  
"You wanna come along?"  
  
"Well, I can't say I'm not intrigued by the whole affair...I'm in." Bakura smiled weakly, looking very much like Yugi.  
  
"Excellent!"  
  
"Well, I'M definitely in," Tristan said. "What IS Kaiba hiding?" He grinned.  
  
"So, that's the four of us..." Joey counted. "What about you, Tea?"  
  
"What ABOUT me?"  
  
"Are you coming, or what?"  
  
Tea spun around to face him.  
  
"Joey, you know I don't approve. What you did was just STEALING." Tea shook her head reprovingly. "But..." She trailed off. "I will come along anyway. Kaiba does shut us out too often, I mean, if he had something he didn't want others to see he knows he can always come to us..." She trailed off again.  
  
"Then it's all settled!" said Joey, snatching the tape from Tristan, who was examining it again. "After school at Yugi's! Be there or be SQUARE!"  
  
Tea sweatdropped heavily and Bakura simply laughed it off. But Yugi...frowned slightly at the tape in Joey's hand.  
  
//I have a baaaaaaaaaaad feeling about this...//  
  
***********************************  
  
Ieyre: YAY! Chapter 2 is FINISHED!  
  
Yami Ieyre: It was actually finished before you even posted Chapter 1. You've just been too lazy to convert it from longhand.   
  
Ieyre: *nervous look* Shhhhh...they don't know that...  
  
CYI: *claps hands* Hehehe...Mamie Ieyre too LAZY to finish CHAPPY! Hehehehe!  
  
Ieyre: *glares* Quiet, you. ANYWAY peoples, I have a little sorta contest idea. I already know what is on the tape (obviously)...the question is, have you guys done enough reading between the lines to figure it out for yourselves? I want to see. So...here's how I'd like things to work. You guys rack your little brains to figure out the tape dilemma. Or maybe you're so brilliant you already have it figured out. Either way, when you've got an answer, send it to me by EMAIL, not in a review. The first person to send me a CORRECT answer will get a little prize.  
  
Yami Ieyre: Hm...can I send in an answer?  
  
Ieyre: -_- No, because you already know what it is. The reason why I want to guys to send me an answer by email is because if one of you guesses correctly, no one will have the next chapter spoiled for them. Including that person, because I won't announce the winner (if there is one) until the END of the chapter ^_^. Does everyone get that? So...start thinking. Oh, and a little hint from me...remember; don't go with your first idea. Sometime when you're thinking about calling your best friend or buying the latest ANIMERICA (Disclaimer: which I don't own) or whatever, a new idea could pop up. And in the end, never trust what the character's THINK it is. Joey's ideas are grade-A idiotic. But then, maybe I've said too much.  
  
Yami Ieyre: Wow, that was another completely stupid idea on your account. Good job, aibou!  
  
Ieyre: -_- See you guys later, and I hope you participate. If no one guesses right, I will hold it over you all with great arrogance. Now, if you'll excuse me, I've got a Yami to kill.  
  
Yami Ieyre: *runs away*  
  
CYI: *giggles* Bye, Weviewers! Oh, an' don' forget to R&R!! 


	3. The truth behind the tape

Ieyre: *singing to the tune 'I Will Survive'* Ieyre's back! From outer space! You just got on your computer to find her with that writing look upon her face!  
Yami Ieyre: *shoves textbook into her hikari's mouth to prevent more singing* You should have never read this fic! You should have stayed away! But you'll read! You'll read anyway!  
Ieyre: *with textbook in mouth* Mmmmp! Mmm mhhhh mhhhh! (Translation: You'll read today! You'll read today! Etc.)   
Yami Ieyre: What she's trying to say-I mean, sing...is that she's going to discontinue this story and that she hates you all but apologizes for all the horrible torture she put you through by writing it.  
Ieyre: *glares*  
CYI: *pulls textbook out of Ieyre's mouth* Hehehe! Mamie Ieyre look funny!  
Ieyre: *sighs* Thank you, CYI. Now, Yami...*fixes Yami Ieyre with evil eye* You were saying? What's this about me hating my reviewers? I'm waiting...  
Yami Ieyre: *shifty eyes* Terribly sorry folks, but I just remembered I have an orthodontia appointment! Later! *runs away*  
Ieyre: Hey! Where do you think you're going??? Come back here!  
CYI: *frowns* Yami mommy leave! I want my Yami Mommy!!!  
Ieyre: *pauses from shaking fist at Yami Ieyre* Hey, CYI, that was almost a coherent sentence. You sure are learning fast...  
CYI: Hehehe...^_^ *takes out plastic mallet and starts hitting random objects*   
Ieyre: -_- Unfortunately, most of what you're learning comes from Yami...  
CYI: ^_^  
Ieyre:...Right. Well, now, readers, today's the day where we find out what's on the tape. Did any of you get it right? I guess we'll have to read on to find out...oh, I better start talking to you reviewers, too...  
  
pruningshears: Hmmm...very good guess. Was it right? Well, I don't think I'll tell you that right now...but you'll find out soon enough.  
  
Blue Lagoon Loon:...You're totally insane, you know that?  
  
Wingleader Sora Jade: Hey, there! My fellow member of the elite three ^_^. So, you have no idea what's on the tape? Well, that works for me. Read on, friend ^_^  
  
Jar of Pills: *sweatdrop* Um...very interesting answers, Jar of Pills...you have a...great imagination...^_^;;;   
  
Angel-Belle: -_- Yeah, Yami's [Ieyre, not Yami Yugi, of course] an idiot...I like Joey too!! He's my second favorite character, after Seto-kun. He's so sweet and cutely dumb ^_^  
  
Kelly Noel: Wow, a Ryou plushie!! I'm so loved!!! Well, I'm glad you like the story, I can see you ALSO have a Yami to deal with, don't you -_-? Pains, aren't they?  
  
Rinaidran Warrior: ^_^;; Um...I'm continuing, please don't kill me...  
  
Mistress Fluffy and DMG: Your commandment hath caused me to update, friend! And   
I hope you're satisfied with what happens this chapter!  
  
Lady of the Thread: Well, first off, I LOVED your latest chappy, great stuff. You are very observant, friend. The answer in this chapter will surprise many people, I think.  
  
HarpieLady456: Harpie: Hmmmmmm...dress up? I hope that was a sugar-induced answer. Mia: I've updated, sorry for the delay ^_^  
  
Ieyre: Thanks for all the reviews, guys! This is the most I think I've ever got for a story after two chapters! Okay, and now...the disclaimer!  
  
DISCLAIMER: Tape: Ieyre does not own YGO, or 'I Will Survive'. But she does own me, and the mysterious stuff on me!!! In your face, 4Kids!!! You don't own me!!! BWAHAHAHAHA!!! Victory is mine!!!! I've won! I'VE WON!!!!!!!!!!! *starts laughing like a freak of nature*  
  
Ieyre: ^_^;;; Okay, Tape...I think that's enough...so...let's go to the fic, shall we? All will be reveled!  
  
*************************************************  
  
"Does anyone want some popcorn?"  
  
"Oh, Joey, you know that's not funny."  
  
The five friends were all gathered at Yugi's Game shop, about to watch the mysterious tape Seto Kaiba had tried to get rid of.  
  
"Aw, come ON! You know I'm just fooling!" Joey waved Tea's disapproval away with one hand. Bakura and Tristan were sitting side-by-side on the couch, Tristan loudly finishing off a bag of potato chips and Bakura staring curiously at Yugi. Yugi was holding the tape, but something about it made him feel like he had been caught trespassing. As if he was meddling.  
  
"Guys, are you absolutely, positively, sure about this?" He asked for what seemed the hundredth time today.  
  
"Yeah, yeah, Yug'! Just roll the tape!" Joey said impatiently.  
  
"Okay..."  
  
Yugi pushed the black cassette into the VCR and asked Tea if she would turn off the lights. He then pressed the play button and sat back down next to Joey.  
  
The screen was black for a moment. When it finally lit up, Yugi-tachi collectively gasped.  
  
Instead of a security tape or embarrassing home movie as Joey had predicted, a middle-aged woman appeared on screen, staring at the camera fixedly with a small and worried smile.  
  
At a first glance her features appeared to be flawless, a long and curved cheek and slender face. But upon closer inspection, one could see that her face was tired and worn with worry lines. Her dark black hair had a few gray streaks in it, and hung down onto her shoulders, slightly unkempt, and her large, gray, crystalline eyes were wide with a kind of...fragile expectation. Time and life had hit this woman, apparently, very hard.  
  
After staring distantly at the camera for a moment, the woman spoke.  
  
"Hello...Seto..."  
  
Her voice cracked on his name. It was hoarse, and Tea's trained female eye alarmed her when it observed large, apparent red marks around her eyes.  
  
"This lady...she's been crying..." The dancer whispered, half to herself. Joey bit down on his lip, having heard her.  
  
"I suppose...I suppose you're probably wondering...how I was able to...to contact you this way..." The woman continued, choking out every word. "Well...rest assured. It wasn't easy. A...a close friend of mine...was able to gather enough information...to get this video message to you."  
  
"So THAT's what this is...a video message." Tristan whispered.  
  
"But it wasn't enough..." She continued shakily. "Even though I got this to you, I wasn't able to get any information myself. I don't know where you are, how to send you anything...even what your last name is..." She paused again, sniffling slightly. "You can imagine how much this worries me..."  
  
Bakura narrowed his eyes at the screen thoughtfully, trying to completely decipher it's meaning. Yugi was too absorbed in the woman's lonely face to concentrate on anything else.  
  
"In any case, I think you know what it is I want. I want...I NEED you to visit me. You and Mokuba...oh, Seto, you know how very young he was...he must not remember a thing."  
  
Joey raised his eyebrows in surprise. This was the first time Mokuba had been mentioned, reaffirming that the woman was definitely speaking to the Seto Kaiba they knew and had not made some tragic error.  
  
"I'm the only one left, you see. Sano...he was a weak child from the start, died of pneumonia 5 years ago...and Koru...well, he...disappeared. Up and left me, the horrid-" She was fighting back a fresh onslaught off tears very hard. "-You knew how he was, even at only 7, didn't you? It doesn't matter...I only want to see the two of you now. It's been awhile, Seto..." She stared distantly for a moment, again, before continuing. "Now, Seto...don't think I'm just expecting you to...to want to see me...  
  
"I know you must be confused as to why I never tried to contact you before...maybe angry. But the truth was...it was too painful for me-to even THINK about. But now that I'm alone...I need something of familiarity...  
  
"You can contact me in Kyoto, I'm listed under MARIKO ODA. You'll know where to find me, I think..."  
  
With a deeply pained look, the woman clasped her two fragile hands together in a pleading manner.  
  
"And please, Seto..." She practically begged. "Don't disregard my message to you. You know I care about you and your brother, I just want to get close to you...please don't push me away."  
  
Mariko Oda let it all go at those words. She began to cry, identical tears tearing from the crinkly edges of her eyes. "Come and see me..." She breather out slowly and lifted her head, controlled once again.  
  
"You ARE my sister's son, Seto...never forget that."  
  
The screen went blank.  
  
Unconsciously, Yugi stood up and turned off the television. In a similar fashion, Tea turned the lights back on. No one said anything.  
  
Everyone turned to Joey.  
  
And stared at him.  
  
In turn, Joey stared at the blank TV screen, completely dumbfounded and lost for words.  
  
***************************  
  
"You know, if I didn't know better I'd say something was bothering you." Seto Kaiba's computer commented dryly. The young billionaire was working in his underground computer lab, trying to get some stock evaluations done, but it would be apparent to anyone that he was distracted.  
  
"You're just a computer, what do you know?" He snapped back at her irritably.   
  
She remained silent for a moment, not because he had hurt her 'feelings', but because she was thinking. Why, she knew her creator practically better than anyone and it was very unlike him to lash out at her in such a way.   
  
"Quite a few things, actually." She answered his inquiry, finally. "And according to my censors, your work efficiency has dropped 47% in the last hour."  
  
"Screw your censors." He replied, flatly. Undaunted, she continued.  
  
"This is obviously a very HUMAN matter. You'll be able to get very little done at this rate."  
  
He gritted his teeth angrily.  
  
"I'll be able to get 'VERY LITTLE DONE' with your constant interruptions!" He spat at her, loosing his normally cool nature within a manner of seconds.  
  
"Within the last minute you have dropped another 4%."  
  
"I've been speaking to you, FACTOR THAT." He pointed out.  
  
"You have always been able to work and carry on a conversation. This is clearly not the issue."  
  
"Stop unnecessarily worrying yourself." He continued with his work. "I don't need you or anyone else to BABY me."  
  
"Seto...you know this deeply distresses me. And being a machine, insults, snide remarks and mind tricks will not throw me off."  
  
"Show me Kaiba Corp.'s current stock evaluation." He chose to ignore her. Silently, his request popped up on screen.  
  
"You should go to bed, you know. You work too much."  
  
He closed his eyes angrily. She knew he hated it when she brought that particular subject up.  
  
"For the last time-"  
  
"Why are you so preoccupied, Seto?" She threw at him. He was caught by surprise and momentarily off-balance, giving her a slight edge.  
  
It nearly worked.  
  
He opened his mouth as if to yell something at her, but then paused, and stared down at the keyboard distractedly. The CEO rubbed his temples wearily.  
  
"Computer, shut down the stock evaluation. I don't think I'm going to work on it tonight."  
  
Wordlessly the large green graph on screen closed with a small 'blip'.  
  
"...Shut the whole thing down."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Because I'm not going to work on anything tonight! I don't need you to interrogate me."  
  
"Are you going to talk to me, then, finally?"  
  
"What of, dare I ask?"  
  
"You know very well! What's bothering you!"  
  
"There's absolutely nothing bothering me. At all. Whatsoever." He stood up with a great sense of finality. "I just..." He paused, racking his brain for a good answer. "...Have decided I'm not going to work tonight."   
  
"Fine." She half-sighed.  
  
His hand lingered on the door's 'open' button. He was about to open it himself, when-  
  
"Allow me."  
  
The metallic doors slide open. He turned around and glared at her monitor. She was annoying him to no end. She was glad.  
  
"You need to open up. If not to me, then someone else. Relying on others is not such a horrible thing, is it? You rely on me to help you work, do you not?"  
  
He grunted. "It's different. You are a machine and tool. I use you. You were designed to help me. It's as simple as that. There is no emotional attachment involved."  
  
"Nonetheless..." She pressed on. "You can't simply ignore your problems...or your past. Eventually they will catch up to you."  
  
He turned away, again. He was walking...  
  
"You can't run away forever."   
  
***************************  
  
Damn her. Damn her damn her damn her damn her damn her damn her DAMN HER! And damn HIM for making her. Damn him for making her and damn HER for being so right. Damn him for making her so right. Damn.  
  
Yes...he knew she was right. He always knew she was right. She was ALWAYS right. At matters of the mathematical, the logical...even the emotional level. Damn it ALL, she was a MACHINE *HE* had designed and STILL she knew more about emotion than he.  
  
So she was right. What else was knew? He knew that he ran away. Sure, for a long time he had fooled himself into believing that he always faced things head-on. In fact, most things he DID face head-on. Immediate things. Things that involved brains. Aggression. Power and force.   
  
But emotions? He thought he had none. None but hatred, revenge, over-zealous, power-hungry passion.  
  
Love?  
  
Hardly.  
  
Mercy? Compassion? Forgiveness?  
  
Not a bone in his body contained them.  
  
He had no need for such paltry emotions. Those emotions were a distraction for the weak. The weak feed off of emotions like trust and love and hope, but in the end they turn into deceit and anger and jealousy.  
  
He was stronger.   
  
He fed off of nothing.   
  
He stood by himself.  
  
He had no emotion.  
  
Or so he had once believed.   
  
He had long since discovered, however, that his hard shell, icy, cold, and brittle shell...was not serving it's purpose of extinguishing his unwanted emotion and feeling. Rather, it was bottling it up.   
  
All his feelings, his problems, the things he had tried to put behind himself were mounting up and pressurizing like soda in a shaken can. Sooner or later it was bound to pop, something in his delicate world would be tossed off balance, and when it did...   
  
Everything would come crashing down.  
  
His career, his life...he would even drag his brother down.  
  
SHE meant the difference between his life...or it's destruction.  
  
He turned out the light, hoping that sleep would distract him, however momentarily. He hadn't slept a full night in weeks. The bed had remained cold for weeks.  
  
It felt cold now.  
  
The shadows of trees were dancing on the ceiling he was staring at. He absently wondered what a shadow really was.  
  
/ Partial darkness or obscurity within a part of space from which rays from a source of light are cut off by an interposed opaque body./  
  
Yes, he thought with a hint of melancholy, Yes, that's what it IS, but what is it, truly? What is it's substance?   
  
His subconscious berated him for being so uncharacteristically poetic.  
  
Undaunted, he continued his train of thought. A shadow, he realized, was like the reflection in a mirror. Only...instead of showing a clear image of one's self...the image was simpler and distorted...more abstract.  
  
Looking at the shadow of something was like looking at the object's inner-self...it's soul. Itself...without the frills...  
  
Or perhaps a shadow was more like...something's dark and mysterious side. What it had become after years of mistreatment and disuse. A shadow could be...a sort of...message from the future.  
  
His aunt was now a shadow of what she had once been.  
  
He sat up immediately. His nonsensical train of thought had led to her, as would anything else he tried to think of. His suppressed feeling of what had happened that day could only be constrained for so long.  
  
So he thought of her.  
  
His aunt Mariko...after all these years she had finally tried to contact him. When he had first seen the video, her face alone caused more shock then he had in years. Why did she have to resurface in his already overly complicated life? Why NOW?  
  
He had pushed her and every memory involving her to the back of his mind. He had a new life now, and her presence would only further complicate matters.  
  
He unconsciously shuddered.  
  
She brought back such painful memories...most especially of his mother.  
  
Mariko remembered how close he had been to her sister. Perhaps she thought that a mention of his mother would touch his heart.  
  
She was amazingly ignorant.  
  
Long ago he had decided not to talk to Mokuba about the past. That was all it was-in the past. Of very little importance. What was really important was the future. Mokuba would only be hurt by the past. The less he knew about Mariko and their parents, the better.  
  
Ignorance was bliss.  
  
Seto closed his eyes on the thought.  
  
**********************************************  
  
Ieyre:...That was different.  
Yami Ieyre: That was weird.  
CYI: O_O...  
Ieyre: As you can see, even we are weirded out by this chapter. But as you can also see...NO ONE WON THE CONTEST!!!!!!! You all GUESSED INCORRECTLY!!!!! I knew from the moment I started this it would be really original, and I rightly guessed that you all would be taken by surprise! And if I'm not mistaken...YOU WERE!!!!!!!  
Yami Ieyre: *I* could have guessed correctly.  
Ieyre: -_- I told you the idea before the fic started.  
Yami Ieyre: ^_^;; Oh, yeah.  
CYI: O_O...  
Ieyre: *glances at CYI* I think someone's been watching a little too much Transformers...now, off to bed with you. OUT! Yami, take her to bed!  
Yami Ieyre: *grumbles and walks off with her chibi in tow*  
Ieyre: Well, gotta go! I'm kinda insane from all the Bulma/Vegeta fics I've been reading, so I must go and do something normal, for once! Be sure to R&R, I love you all!!! JA NE!!!  
  
  
  
  



	4. Kyoto's Mariko Oda

None of them had ever been to Kyoto before. It was a rather peculiar city, over 1,200 years old with many amazing historical monuments, yet still strangely modernized. The beautiful skyline of the mountains was nearly concealed by a giant throng of skyscrapers.   
  
As the five teens exited the train, they were startled out of the way by a large group of American tourists, and were even more surprised by the large crowd of loudly painted tour buses.   
  
"I wonder if Tokugawa Ieyasu had to deal with bad traffic...?" Joey commented, sarcastically, regarding the huge build-up of cars.   
  
"Oh, my..." Bakura trailed off dismally. "How are we ever going to get around the city?"  
  
"I think we should first find out where we're going." Yugi said. "Look, there's a phone booth over there."  
  
"Good thinking, Yugi." Tristan said. The four boys ran off, leaving their female companion by herself.  
  
//This is going to be very strange...// Tea worriedly thought, before hurrying after them.  
  
**************************  
  
"I think we're pretty close now..."  
  
After a long, fruitless goose chase things seemed to be looking up for the five teens.  
  
"Is it just me, or does the whole neighborhood seem to be looking worse with every step we take?" Tristan asked suddenly.  
  
He was right. The paint on all the houses was peeling, and the grass seemed a very off shade of green. The apartments were all rickety wooden flats with broken-down balconies.  
  
Hardly anyone had a 'WELCOME' mat.  
  
"Yugi, are you SURE we're going the right way?" Tea asked, gazing apprehensively at a large dog, chained up and growling, in the yard next to them.  
  
"I'm positive, Tea. This is Kaiba's aunt's neighborhood."  
  
"So, someone remind me why we're not going to KAIBA about this?" Tristan interrupted, non-chalantly striding down the street with his hands in his pockets.  
  
"Can you imagine THAT conversation?" Tea sighed. "He'll be very angry...you know how he hates having people prod into his life, try and help him..."  
  
"I don't think we HAD every right to watch that tape...it seems a little unethical." Bakura put in uncertainly.   
  
"Ryou's right. Guys, I'm not sure we should do this...questioning his aunt? If Kaiba never told us in the first place-"  
  
"Then it's probably something we should know. Did you see that poor woman? She was crying her heart out...and what does HE do? He throws the thing away! I think it's pretty safe to say HE'S not visiting her any time in the near future..."  
  
"But why? Why would he not want to see her? What has she done to him? She seems so lonely...what a poor woman..." Tea trailed off.  
  
With that the conversation lapsed into a bleak and uncomfortable silence.  
  
***********************  
  
"Um...I guess this is it..."  
  
They had reached their destination. It was a rather large house, surprising for a woman who apparently lived on her own. The teens could see the house had once been very fine and respectable, as had all the houses in the neighborhood, but had, in recent years, fallen into disuse and derelict disrepair. It had assumed an old, tired, gray and morbid look. Forlorn and uninviting.  
  
"Well...we didn't come all this way just to look at it, did we?" Joey ventured lightly, most likely to lighten the mood.  
  
"Shall we...knock?" Ryou asked of the others.  
  
"What else are we supposed to do?" Tristan answered.  
  
"Okay, come on you guys." Yugi started first, the other four following.  
  
When they reached the step, Yugi knocked apprehensively. Three short, unassuming knocks.  
  
They only had to wait a minute before hearing small shuffling...and the opening of the front door.  
  
It was the same woman from the tape. Everything about her...her black hair, round face, large, crystalline eyes...even the false hope they held...were the same.  
  
Uneasily her eyes darted from one face to another. Resignedly, she sighed in disappointment.   
  
"Can I help you?" she asked, curiously.  
  
"Mrs. Oda? Mrs. Mariko Oda?" Yugi asked, wide eyes already knowing the answer to the question.  
  
Mariko's own eyes widened in surprise.  
  
"Why...yes. How did you-?"  
  
"May we come in, Mrs. Oda? We must talk to you about something." Ryou bowed respectfully, as if to show they meant no harm.  
  
"Well..." Mariko eyed Tristan and Joey apprehensively. Sensing her discomfort, Tea cut in.  
  
"There's no need to be alarmed by these two, Mrs. Oda." she reassured. "They may LOOK tough, but they're actually completely harmless."  
  
Joey grinned and rubbed the back of his head good-naturedly, addressing Mariko.  
  
"It's okay, Mrs. Oda, we're not here to start trouble we're just here about your nephews-" He blurted out.  
  
"My nephews! Oh, please, come in, come in!" Mrs. Oda hastily shoved them all inside.  
  
Tea glared at Joey.  
  
"Nice going, idiot! What happened to 'letting things down easy'???" she whispered angrily.  
  
"Hey, there's no point in stalling the inevitable!" Joey defended.  
  
Mrs. Oda led them to the living room, then hurried off to make them all tea. She did not question further.  
  
There was an eerie silence.  
  
Bored, Joey examined his surroundings. The room itself was drab, unkempt, and dull. The beige sofa looked old and crusty, as if it hadn't been sat on in awhile.   
  
In the middle of the room was a heavily stained coffee table. And on the middle of the table, a large blue book innocently lay.  
  
Joey was about to reach for the book, when Mrs. Oda came back into the room, a half-excited, half-worried look on her face.  
  
"Here we are! Tea for all of you." Mariko set down a large tray of traditional Japanese china and green tea. She then sat down herself.   
  
"Doomo arigato gozaimasu, Mrs. Oda."  
  
"Doo Itashimashite." she answered. "Now...tell me all your names."  
  
"Well, I'm Yugi Mouto. This is Tea Gardner..." He introduced them all in turn.  
  
"Doozo Yoroshiku. I am Mariko Oda, as it seems you all know...now where shall we start?"  
  
"Um...well..."  
  
"I've got it. How do you know my nephews, why aren't they here, how did you get this address, what are they doing, where are they, how are they-?" Mrs. Oda had turned from calm to frantic in a split second.  
  
"Woah Mrs. Oda! Slow down, slow down!" Joey cut in. "Yugi's probably got some way of answering you...Yugi?"  
  
Yugi cleared his throat nervously.  
  
"Mrs. Oda, I can't tell you anything until you, uh...fill US in."  
  
She started, visibly caught off guard.  
  
"But...why? What do you mean?"  
  
Yugi sighed.  
  
"I can't say. I know it seems strange, but you'll understand soon enough."  
  
"It's a pretty complicated situation." Tristan threw in.  
  
"I don't imagine there's any way we can tell you, yet." voiced Bakura, softly.  
  
"...I..."  
  
"I can tell you this much, Mrs. Oda. We are classmates of your elder nephew. Both he and Mokuba are in perfect health. Now please, answer some of OUR questions."  
  
Though it was obvious she didn't understand, Mariko complied.  
  
"I feel you have good intentions...though nothing you've said makes any sense, you're the only lead I've had so far, so..." she smiled. "Ask away."  
  
Yugi and Bakura both smiled politely and nodded, whereas Joey and Tristan grinned at each other with piquing curiosity, Joey especially. Though he would hate to admit it, Seto Kaiba intrigued him (when he wasn't infuriating him). Despite what people thought and all the stupid things he did, Joey was not a dumb blond. He knew a thing or two about people, and Seto Kaiba was a mystery he intended to solve.  
  
"Good, now, first off...when was the last time you saw your nephews?" Tea, who had been silent for a few minutes, bounced back into the conversation.  
  
"Let me think..." Mariko paused. "Seven...no, Eight years. Eight years."  
  
"Woah! It's been awhile, hasn't it?"  
  
"Yes. Yes it has..." Mariko smiled dimly.  
  
*****************************  
  
"I've got a better idea...just start from the beginning." Ryou directed. He suddenly seemed more...assertive. Yugi noticed this, and his mind sparked. Had you-know-who taken Ryou over?  
  
"From the beginning? Of what?"  
  
"Of everything."  
  
Mariko slowly nodded in understanding.  
  
"Well, first of all...I am Seto and Mokuba's mother's sister." She paused to gaze at them each in turn.  
  
"Yeah, yeah, Mrs. Oda! That's right!"  
  
"All right then...well, my sister was younger than me by three years. We had been close for most of our lives...but after she got married, we never really talked seriously again. I was angry at her, and for all the wrong reasons...I know now, when it's too late to do anything about it, that I should have been HAPPY for my younger sister. But I wasn't. I was wildly jealous of her."  
  
She stopped suddenly, as if she had said something greatly significant. Seeing no reaction, she continued.  
  
"Her husband was so perfect. Tall, handsome, intelligent, well off, and kind. There didn't seem to be ANYTHING wrong with him. I, on the other hand, had married a...less than perfect man." She paused. "By the way, all this rambling of mine will hold some significance in the rest of the story, young man."  
  
Tristan was thoroughly confused by her narrative. Mrs. Oda could apparently tell.  
  
"Ahem...as I was saying. When my sister and future brother in law were married, I was so angry, resentful and jealous I didn't even go. That was about the end of my sister and my relationship.   
  
"About a year or two after they were married..." Mariko smiled, fondly. "Seto was born."  
  
Interest in the room piqued considerably.  
  
"I received many letters and phone calls from them. I expected them to be ecstatic, but I never suspected my nephew's birth would fuel even MORE jealousy my own part."  
  
She cast her eyes downward in shame.  
  
"Apparently...my sister had given birth to a child. No, she and her husband had created a PRODIGY.  
  
"I had had a child a few years before. He was not a prodigy in the slightest. He was very sickly and not intelligent, at least not amazingly so. So I suppose...I just grew more angry and jealous.  
  
"The visited a few times in the first few years, but I was not a gracious host. Seto was fine, as near to perfection you could have in a child. I was so resentful...I hated him."  
  
Mrs. Oda looked as though she might begin to cry again.  
  
"And then...my sister became pregnant with her second child!"  
  
"...About four years after Seto was born?"  
  
"Yes, that sounds right. Eight months into the pregnancy...my sister went into premature labor."  
  
"How awful!" Tea gasped out loud.  
  
"It was. Since it was unexpected, I was not there to say goodbye. Only my brother-in-law and Seto were there. The child...Mokuba...was born in perfect health. My sister was not so fortunate." She stopped to draw in breath, and perhaps...compose herself.  
  
"After many complications...she died of blood loss."   
  
Mariko said her last words hollowly. A small pause, and then,  
  
"I felt regret. I was sorry I had no said a last civil word to her. I tried to make it up to my brother-in-law and nephews. He was very busy with work...consumed by it. I took care of the children when he needed me to.  
  
"Though I was bad, I was hardly worse off then Seto. My brother-in-law told me...Seto was in the same room of the hospital when she...  
  
"From the first times I had seen him before, he was completely different. Very quiet, small, polite. I suppose a little shy as well. But then...it was no wonder. A five-year-old, to have watched his own mother DIE!"  
  
Yugi-tachi sat silently. No one chose to comment.  
  
"Mokuba, being a baby..." she continued, "...Didn't have a worry in the world! It seemed like he was the only happy one in our family. Such a sweet child...I always felt that Seto shouldered as much grief as he could, as to protect Mokuba...  
  
They say that at birth a child sees a person and decides to model them...for Mokuba that was his brother. 'Nisan' was the first thing he said, as I recall.  
  
"Things turned for the worse after about a year. I was...having some of my own problems...with my son and...such. I was angry again, and my brother-in-law...I asked him for money, but at the time...it's a rather long story." she finished uncomfortably. "We had a falling out. Seto and Mokuba stopped coming over. I was upset with the children's father, and that somehow caused me to take it out on them. And then..." Mariko closed her eyes, her whole body shaking.  
  
"Three years after my sister...her husband was in a fatal car accident."  
  
"You mean-?" Joey choked out.  
  
"H-hai. He followed the same fate as my sister. What seemed like the most promising future for them...so tragically ended."  
  
She stared at the book on the table, reflectively.  
  
"Mrs. Oda...surely your nephews couldn't have been very aware...Mokuba was only three!" Bakura pressed.  
  
"Yes, Mokuba was very confused...but Seto had been aware, even when his mother died..."  
  
"What happened to them?" Tristan asked.  
  
"The woman who had been named in charge of the boys' affairs had to find them a new home...with a relation. Naturally, I was the one they came to..."  
  
"Did you take them in?" Yugi asked so softly, it was almost a whisper.  
  
"...No."  
  
It was too much for the woman. Mariko burst forth in uncontrollable sobs.  
  
The boys' faces were stony, solemn in appearance. Tea immediately stood up, walked over to her, and put an arm upon her frail shoulder.  
  
"Mrs. Oda...it's all right, Mrs. Oda..." she cooed, comfortingly.  
  
"It's not!" she cried out. "It was the most selfish decision I've ever made!"  
  
Tea pulled back, alarmed. Mariko continued.  
  
"I did it out of spite! Anger, jealously! I was too focused on my own problems...fears...I was inhuman."  
  
"So...what happened to them?"  
  
"They were sent to a small children's orphanage. I haven't seen them since."  
  
Mariko Oda's lengthy narrative had reached its end. What followed was a silence, so thick that even their breathing seemed small and unreachable.  
  
"Mrs. Oda...is that a family album?"  
  
Surprisingly, Joey broke the silence in a very abrupt manner. He had been uncharacteristically quiet throughout Mariko Oda's story, and was staring rather intently at the large, leather-bound book on the table in front of him.  
  
"Joey, is this really the time?" Tea asked him, irritated.  
  
"No, no...it's fine." Mariko cut her off. "Yes, it is, Joseph."  
  
Joey continued to stare at it.  
  
"Would you like to see it?"  
  
He nodded wordlessly. Mariko stood u with the book and carried it over to him.  
  
"Let me show you..."  
  
Yugi and the rest of the gang crowded around them as well.  
  
"I've got this out," she explained, "because I've been looking at it constantly lately. It helps me remember..." she trailed off. "...Oh! Remembering...that reminds me!" Mariko seemed to recall something of importance. "I've got to go get something! I'll be upstairs, just flip through that if you like..." she disappeared up the stairs on one side of the room.  
  
Joey immediately opened the book. The five teens were greeted my pictures of a young beautiful woman next to a tall man. Both were smiling broadly.  
  
It took a few moments for Joey to realize the woman was Mrs. Oda.  
  
"She looks so happy with him..." Tea murmured. "What could have gone amiss?"  
  
Joey shook his head at his friend's naiveté. Many things could go wrong for those seemingly in love. Hadn't his parents once been the same as Mariko and her husband in the picture?  
  
He turned the page. There was Mariko again, holding the hand of a little black-haired boy. He was small and thing with a crooked smile. Underneath the picture was scribbled, "Mari and Sano, age three."  
  
"Sano..." Yugi said aloud. "That must be her son!"  
  
Joey frowned. Hadn't Mariko said in the video that Sano had died?  
  
He turned the pages faster. There they were, Mrs. Oda, her husband and son all together, With every page, they seemed more tired or ill. Unhappy...each smile, strained, each hug, hapless.  
  
Joey turned a page with what appeared to be Sano's eighth birthday party and found a wedding picture. The woman was not Mariko, but she looked enough like her to be...related.  
  
"It's them..."  
  
The man was slim, with striking, handsome facial features. His large, gray eyes shown with utter bliss as he held the arms of the woman beside him.  
  
She was small, with a lovely olive neck adorned with only a simple silver chain. She had dark, black hair, as Mariko, and amazingly cobalt blue eyes.  
  
"Kaiba's got those same eyes, you know..."  
  
Everyone around Joey turned to him in surprise.  
  
"It's easier to tell with Mokuba, see?" He put his hand over the picture and pointed to the man. "He's happy a lot, like his Dad, and you can see that THEY'VE got the same eyes.  
  
"But Kaiba...he's rarely happy, even more rarely does he show it...but I guess..."  
  
"What?"  
  
"I guess...if you picture this woman angry...or Kaiba happy...you would see they've got the same eyes..."  
  
"Which do you think is harder...to picture...?" Yugi asked softly.  
  
"I think...this woman looking angry..."  
  
Everyone froze. Silence seemed to make the walls higher and the furniture disproportionately large.  
  
"Lovely picture, isn't it?"  
  
The five teens jumped. Mariko was back and carrying something under her arm.  
  
"They sent me that after the wedding..." Mariko's finger traced the photograph, resting on her sister. "Keiko wanted me to be her chief bridesmaid."  
  
Joey stared down at the picture a last time before turning the page. As soon as Mariko saw it, she turned away, completely overwhelmed.  
  
There was the couple again, this time in more casual attire. On the woman's lap sat a small child.  
  
"There's no way..."  
  
A little boy, large blue eyes, and floppy brown hair that fell down over them.  
  
"It can't be..."  
  
He was sporting a small smile. So innocent.  
  
"Is that...?"  
  
Those eyes. Could such little time have transformed their wide curiosity to blunt hard-edged disdain for human kind?  
  
"It is him." Joey pointed at the woman, then Seto. "Like I thought-same eyes." He grinned. "Same haircut his whole life, heh. Can't wait to get him on that."  
  
It was true, upon close examination one could see that Seto had inherited his mother's amazingly blue eyes, and Mokuba's pepper eyes were his father's. Besides those traits, however, Mokuba looked like his mother, with a round face, black hair and olive complexion. Seto looked remarkably like the boys' father-tall and slim, with a long and handsome face. Over his eyes hung the same brown locks. The most discernible difference between father and son, it seemed, was expression.  
  
The man in the picture had a genuine smile on his face. He looked truly...content, as he stood near the two most important people in his life. As if everything that woman did held meaning for him.  
  
Had Seto Kaiba, as long as they'd known him, ever looked like that?  
  
He did in this picture.  
  
Joey turned the page again. There was just mother and child this time. She was laughing, holding onto her little boy tightly, he smiling and struggling to get free. And then...snap, flash. A brief moment of unknowing innocence was captured forever.  
  
To Joey, it seemed unreal.  
  
Yet he knew the photographs were not anyone's cruel joke.  
  
He turned it again. There was father and son, and the elder's similarity in looks to his present eldest son was so striking that Tea almost mistook them as the same. Another turn of the page.  
  
There were the three again, if possible, looking happier STILL.  
  
"...She's pregnant..." Tea said in her smallest voice of all.  
  
It was true; Seto sat next to his mother, hand over her protruding belly, smiling blissfully.  
  
"He was so looking forward to becoming a brother..." Mariko's voice was muffled by her handkerchief.   
  
"Yeah, I could see that..." Tristan said.  
  
Joey turned the page, once more.  
  
The woman was absent from the photograph.  
  
In her place was an infant, large gray eyes very familiar. Mokuba's unruly black hair had already started to grow, and brushed his older brother's chin. Seto tenderly held Mokuba.  
  
Mariko looked up.  
  
"I remember..." she said, softly, "He was a peculiar child. Never did show the faintest trace of jealousy towards his brother...at least not in any material way..."  
  
They looked up, almost as one.  
  
"You see, though he never looked at his brother with malice or bitterness..." she sat down. "...He did gaze upon him with a...sadness. I think he was envious of Mokuba's...innocence."  
  
Joey shut the old album and placed it on back on the table. Bakura chewed thoughtfully on his thumb, Yugi too was spacing out. Tea, apparently concerned with her fellow female, got up to go comfort her.  
  
"You're a horrid aunt, you know that?"  
  
The boys came back to earth with a start. Mariko, too was taken aback.  
  
"Even when times are tough, families stick TOGETHER. And blaming a child for what their parents do is NEVER fair. You have every right to be as ashamed as you are. You sent your own flesh and blood to live in an orphanage. And both weren't even close to being grown up." Tears of anger filled the teenage girl's eyes. "How could there ever be a question in your mind? HOW? Tell me!"  
  
Tea found her mind drifting to Duelist Kingdom, for some reason. Why, of all times and places, was she thinking of...?  
  
"You have no heart!"  
  
Her eyes widened. That was the last place she'd been this angry. The last time she'd been so angry that tears welled up...  
  
Ironically, she'd been angry with one of the subjects of argument now.  
  
Seto Kaiba.  
  
"I'm...I'm not sure..."  
  
She pitied Mariko, so fragile, so weak.  
  
"That's probably why I don't get it, either."  
  
**********************************  
  
Ieyre: Crud! That was such a thrash to write!  
Yami Ieyre: And it sucked, too. Which leads me to wonder why this is being written at all-OW!  
CYI: *giggles*  
Yami Ieyre: *glares at chibi*  
Ieyre: Okay, the reason for such a long wait for an update is in my profile, so check it out. And by the way, if anyone includes in his or her review a cool name for CYI, I'll put him or her as a cameo in the story.  
CYI: *sporting sign that says 'GIVE MEE NAME'*  
Ieyre: Okay, tomorrow I'm going on a trip to London, so I expect lots of pretty reviews when I get back. Oh, and sorry for not answering reviews this chappy. Now time. Okay, Ja ne you all! Happy Holidays!  



	5. Mincing Words

Ieyre: Hey all! How were the holidays?  
  
Yami Ieyre: *grumbles something unintelligible*  
  
Ieyre:...Right. Well, You can imagine my extreme pleasure upon getting REVIEWS when in Birmingham! It was a truly JOYOUS occasion!   
  
Yami Ieyre: -_- You were complaining about not getting more...  
  
Ieyre: ^_^;; Quiet, you. Now, to the reviewers!  
  
Ranma Higurashi: Yes, quite sad, wasn't it? This chapter is much better, I'm afraid...lots of...anger O_O.  
  
Tuulikki: I'm glad you didn't skip my story, too! I've never seen a story with this kind of examination, either, so I'm quite proud of it ^_^.  
  
Spiderfan: This, well written? Doomo Arigato (the REAL spelling!).  
  
Gohan Hugger: Thanx! I hope this update was soon enough ^_~.  
  
Lone Wolf55: Well, here's your update! It's not as long, unfortunately...  
  
kikoken: ...Um, wow. I had no idea my work was so...emotional. Or 'magnificent'.   
  
Seto-Kaiba's-fan: I'm glad you like this. I like your pen name ^_^.  
  
Angel-Belle: SO MANY PEOPLE THOUGHT THAT!!! But I surprised ya'll, didn't I ^_~?  
  
Lady of the Thread: I'm plausible ^_^! Anyways, thanks for the name, I've only gotten two so far...Gracie and Boom Boom ^_~.  
  
Katsuki: You wanna know what happens next? TOO BAD! You have to wait and read the chapters to find out!!!  
  
Brood Mayran: HEEEEEEEEEEEEEYYYYYYY! Thanks for reading my chappy, glad to know my writing's getting better ^_^. And thanks for the name...I've got 2 choices so far. I tried out for my school's musical, too...and didn't get in. Hey, do you know how hard it is to get in when you're a girl, freshman and your school is one of the top ten for drama in the COUNTRY???? Do you????? *shakes fist* DAMN YOU 42ND STREET!!!!!! ...Okay. I'm done.  
  
Yami Ieyre: I can't believe the number of foolish mortal girls who review this piece of sh-  
  
Ieyre: *clocks her*  
  
Yami Ieyre: x_x *falls down*  
  
Ieyre: And now, the chappy!  
  
********************************  
  
"Where are they?"  
  
"Mrs. Oda, I don't think-"  
  
"WHERE!? You know, you know HIM, you said you go to school with him!"  
  
"Yes, well...I do. We do."  
  
"Then why is this so hard??"  
  
"It's just-"  
  
"What?"  
  
"Mrs. Oda...he doesn't know we're here."  
  
Silence.  
  
"He doesn't even know...we know about you."  
  
"......"  
  
"I watched him...throw away your tape, Oda-san...gomensai." Joey was serious, he had that determined look on his face that took a real situation for him to acquire.  
  
She sat down, more calmly then she'd been the whole meeting. No shock, for the most part her facial features stayed the same.  
  
"I suppose I should have expected it from the beginning...after all I'd done..."  
  
Suddenly, Mariko snapped out of her daze, remembering the book she was holding under her arm. She pulled it out, revealing that it was deep blue and bound with a slightly tattered cloth covering. There was also gold writing on the spin, but she was holding it at such an angle that none of them could read it.  
  
"This used to be Seto's. My sis-...Keiko...gave it to him when he was a very small boy. He loved it very much...the last time he was at this house he left it here, and...well, it was several years later, under a stack of newspapers in the basement, that I found it.  
  
"I imagine Seto must miss it. He told me he liked to have it around...that it reminded him of his mother. How she read to him from it, when he was bored or scared...I wanted to return it to him."  
  
She held the book out to Yugi.  
  
"I don't suppose...that you would return it to him for me? You don't have to...to actually GIVE it to Seto, just maybe...mail it to him? He'll...he'll never know you were here that way..." Her voice was low and grave.  
  
"Sure, Mrs. Oda." Yugi took the book gently.  
  
"Thank you."  
  
"...We should probably go, Mrs. Oda."  
  
She nodded, a half smile on her lips.  
  
"Take a few of these photographs, would you? As miserable as it was, Seto should have at least SOMETHING of his early childhood."  
  
Tea took the pictures, already in a small brown sack.  
  
"Goodbye, Mrs. Oda."  
  
Four of the teens turned to leave.  
  
"You guys go ahead. I want to talk to Mrs. Oda."  
  
Joey was still sitting at the couch, facing Mariko, who looked slightly surprised.  
  
"Joey-"  
  
"Just go! I'll be outside in a few minutes. I want to speak with Mrs. Oda...alone."  
  
Yugi stared at his friend for a moment. What could Joey have to say to her?  
  
"All right, then." He nodded, then turned wordlessly toward the door again. The others followed, a bit confused.  
  
When the door shut behind them, Joey turned his attention. He entwined his fingers, placed his elbows on the coffee table, and stared intently into her eyes. Ironically, this was a stance he had seen performed by-you guessed it-Seto Kaiba.  
  
"Well, Joseph? What did you want to say to me?"  
  
Still staring at her, Joey answered.  
  
"Mrs. Oda, in regards to Yugi, there are some things you need to know. Yugi cannot hold a grudge. Yugi does not hate anyone, Yugi does not seek revenge, he always forgives, and he is CONSTANTLY trying to become friends with people.  
  
"I'll be honest with you. Yugi can mince words. Yugi DID mince words. Today.  
  
"You'll notice that Yugi was very vague on the nature of our relationship with your nephew. That is because it is not a good one."  
  
Mariko was staring back intently.  
  
"Your nephew, to put it bluntly, does not like us."  
  
Mariko's eyes widened, but she waved her hand for him to continue. He did.  
  
"Tristan annoys him. Tea he finds boring, Tea's love of people and friendship BORE him! He has no feelings at all for Bakura...  
  
"He at least respects Yugi, but he does not like him. And me..."  
  
His piercing look could have burned holes in the walls.  
  
"For every two minutes of civil conversation between us, there's an hour of fighting. We've NEVER got along. I always assumed it was because of our conflicting personalities, that he was a stuck-up, selfish, jerk.  
  
"My opinion of him was altered when I met Mokuba. He really does care for the kid, almost like a son, and I understand that because I have a little sis, one I care for more than anything else. Your nephew would risk his life for Mokuba..."  
  
Mariko smiled proudly.  
  
"...But to me, he's an enigma. Again, I thought I had him figured, but then...you showed up. And I have a feeling mores about to happen..."  
  
"It's funny...but as you speak now, you sound just as I remember him."  
  
Joey's head snapped up.  
  
"NANI??"  
  
"The boy you describe sounds nothing like the boy I once knew. But what you just said...from your heart...does sound like that child.  
  
"Seto was an extremely honest boy."  
  
"Now he's an honest man...I'm going to go." He stood up and started to the door.   
  
"...Wait, Joey!"  
  
Mariko scribbled something on a scrap of paper, then folded it into fourths.  
  
"Take this...you'll find it useful, trust me."  
  
Joey took the paper, stared at it for a few moments, then looked up.  
  
"I have something for you, too."  
  
Joey pulled out a crumpled magazine from his jacket. It's title read "TECH GADGET". He threw it to Mariko, who caught it, surprised.  
  
"Turn to page 17."  
  
She did as instructed, stared at the page a few moments, then turned white.  
  
"You're looking at the face of Kaiba...Seto Kaiba. Acclaimed technological genius, older brother...and student at my own Domino High."  
  
She gaped like a fish.  
  
"Billionaire."  
  
Her face turned from sheet white to porridge gray in a matter of seconds. He was almost at the door.  
  
"You will see him soon. I promise."  
  
She looked up again, shock turning to happiness. And for a split second, Joey swore he saw a woman on her wedding day.  
  
"It's a deal."  
  
He grinned and walked out the door.  
  
*********************  
  
The group of four teens was waiting outside, about ten yards away from the house.  
  
"Hey, guys, Mrs. Oda just gave me-!"  
  
Joey shut his mouth in surprise as he jogged up to them.  
  
"What're you-?"  
  
He then realized they were crowded around the book Mariko had said was Seto's favorite as a child.  
  
"...Joey, you're not going to believe this..."  
  
"What do you-?"  
  
Yugi turned the book on its side, spin clearly facing Joey.  
  
"...No way..."  
  
Mantra, Mythology and Magic of Ancient Egypt.  
  
"Way."  
  
*****************  
  
Ieyre: Okay, who saw THAT coming???? Huh??? Huh???  
  
Yami Ieyre: -_-. The most pathetic piece of pulpy plot diversion ever placed on paper.  
  
Ieyre:...Lots of 'P's in that sentence, dearest Yami!!  
  
Yami Ieyre: -_-;;;  
  
Ieyre: ^_^ So, sorry about the shortness of this chapter, I just got done with Finals as it were (They sucked!!!). So there wasn't much time to update. I really HATE typing.  
  
Yami Ieyre: LAME excuse.  
  
Ieyre: *cough* So, I've been seriously thinking of using Japanese names in this fic, but the prospect of typing 'Jonouchi' kills that idea. What do you guys think? I would also love to hear what you think is gonna happen next. Later, peace out homies!  
  
Yami Ieyre: Bye, scum of the earth...*is knocked unconscious* 


	6. The Game Master

Ieyre: _(sneaks onto 'set', looking guilty)_  
  
Readers: _(spot her)_ THERE SHE IS! _(start throwing random objects)_  
  
Ieyre: _(covers self with arms)_ Ow! I'm-ow! Sorry about not updating!  
  
Yami Ieyre: _(grins)  
_  
Ieyre: _(glowers)_ Quiet, you. Even though you're technically not doing anything.  
  
Yami Ieyre: ...Right.  
  
Ieyre: No time for reviewers today! And sorry about the long wait for this cruddy chapter. Enjoy, if you don't puke first. Oh, and I changed the names to the Japanese ones for no discernible reason. Have a Sirius Black plushie _(hands all readers a complimentary 'Sirius Black plushie')._ And now, on with the plotless fic!

* * *

Yugi carefully opened the giant tome.  
  
"This is incredible..."  
  
Ryou, staring at the book intently, unconsciously clenched the gold ring around his neck. In response, its center glowed brightly for a moment. Only Yugi noticed this, from the corner of his eye.  
  
"It's just...I mean, what Oda-san told us was weird enough...but the fact that THIS book was Kaiba's favorite as a child..."  
  
"Yes, well, the priest's incarnate is a strange one, though, granted, no stranger than the first. His role 3,000 years ago seems to be resurfacing..."  
  
Honda, Jonouchi, and Anzu all jumped as Ryou Bakura-or rather, his altar ego-snatched the book and began flipping through it absently.  
  
"Hmmm...well, I see the brat centered in on the important things...Pharaoh, why don't you come out here and show your ugly face? This MIGHT interest you."  
  
The Millennium Puzzle glowed, and Yugi's large purple eyes flashed crimson.  
  
"What are you suggesting, thief?"  
  
"Take a look."  
  
Yami Yugi snatched the book from Yami Bakura, and closely examined the page he had marked with his hand.  
  
"...By Ra..."  
  
"Apparently the Kaiba we know wasn't ALWAYS in denial about his past...see for yourself."  
  
The spirit handed a bewildered Anzu the book.  
  
"Wow...that's what he was, wasn't it?"  
  
Jonouchi snatched it from her as well.  
  
"Lemme' see!"  
  
The page was ornate with an illustration of beautiful royal garb.  
  
High Priest garb, historians assumed.  
  
Scribbled in the margins of the pages were little informative and inquiring notes.  
  
"I have observed the large amount of jewelry the royals were supposed to have worn. My question: How would a young prince and priest get around and have fun with so much ornamentation? I have no idea why I assume that princes and priests even associated with each-other, let alone, 'got around and had fun', only that it seems like something they would do. Doesn't it?"  
  
Bakura read Seto's little 'notes to himself' in a singsong voice, but even he was impressed by the child's insight and prevalent past influences.  
  
"Wait a minute...you're the OTHER Ryou, aren't you?"  
  
Everyone but Jonouchi fell down.  
  
"What??? I was just asking!"  
  
Yami flipped to the back of the book, finding an index and note section, where Seto had filled most of the lines and margins.  
  
"'I have noticed in my studies of Ancient Egypt and most peculiar phenomena over-looked by every famous Egyptologist I have researched. There is a gap, two generations in human standards, about 50 years, with no recordings of any Pharaoh, dynasty, or anything at all. Hieroglyphs widely recognized by the archaeological community do not document this "mystery age" at all. Yet I have yet to find a single piece of literature that examines the possible reasons for these "forgotten years". Nothing. I even asked ojiisan and he said he would talk to a friend of his in archeology about it. I feel, somehow, akin to this era of mystery. I wonder why?'"  
  
"Hn...that sniveling twerp of a reincarnate priest is onto something here...his 'forgotten years' are yours and mine, Pharaoh."  
  
"Are they?"  
  
Bakura the thief smirked.  
  
"Didn't you know?" He disappeared back into his ring, and the Pharaoh did the same, slightly miffed. Regular Ryou and Yugi stood in their places.  
  
"Very sorry about that..." Ryou blushed. "He tends to pop up with out invitation."  
  
"Bakura was right, though. Kaiba's notes and interest in Egypt altogether prove that he was in tune with destiny at a young age." Yugi pointed out.  
  
"Wonder what happened..."  
  
There was a long silence.  
  
"OH! I almost forgot!"  
  
Jonouchi pulled out the folded piece of paper.  
  
"Oda-san gave this to me...she said I'd need it."  
  
Carefully he opened the scrap and read it.  
  
"It's an address!"  
  
Everyone started.  
  
"Really, Jonouchi? Let me see." He handed Anzu the paper.  
  
Sure enough, "1245 Nobunaga St. and 40th, Kyoto, Japan. Fukawari Kono."  
  
"Fukawari...that name sounds familiar." said Yugi, half to himself.  
  
"So, are we supposed to go to this address? Should we go back and ask her?"  
  
Jonouchi shook his head.  
  
"No, Honda. We should give that woman a rest. She's been through a lot."  
  
_Yugi probably wouldn't like it that I told her about Kaiba, either.  
_  
"All right then, guys...we should go."

* * *

The neighborhood they had found was completely different from Mariko's- middle class, and by the looks of it, family-oriented. A few boys were playing in the street.  
  
"It should be around here...hey, kid!"  
  
Jonouchi called to the closest one.  
  
"Nani, mister?"  
  
"You know where someone by the name of Fukawari Kono lives?"  
  
"Fukawari...uh, yeah. That's his house at the end of the block."  
  
They smiled at their good fortune.  
  
"Hey, Isamu, what are these guys asking you about?" The kid's ball friends walked over to them.  
  
"They just wanted to know where Fukawari-san lives." He replied nonchalantly.  
  
"Really?" said a dark-haired boy chewing bubble-gum. He turned to the teens. "What are you guys, friends of Yuki's?"  
  
"Yuki? Oh, no, you must be confusing us with someone else." said Yugi, puzzled.  
  
"Oh...well, bye then!" And they ran off to continue their game without another word.  
  
Yugi-tachi sweatdropped.  
  
"Weird kids..." Honda voiced.  
  
"Ditto." replied Jonouchi.  
  
They walked down the block to their destination, Anzu admiring the vicious dog-free gardens, everyone else just sort of staring.  
  
They got to the front of the house. It had none of the splendor of Mariko's estate, but every bit more charm. Small and clean-cut looking, with white shingles and blue paint, the home was quaint and looked as if someone actually cared about it.  
  
"Shall we go?"  
  
"Déjà vu..." Anzu muttered as they walked up the front stoop.  
  
Jonouchi rapped on the door a few times to signal their arrival.  
  
They had been waiting for about half a minute when the door opened and a pair of be-speckled eyes looked out at them. Deeming them worthy for an opened door, the eyes' owner did just that.  
  
Before them stood an elderly gentlemen. He was of average height, with an intelligent and curious look on his face. In his right hand was an ornate cane.  
  
The two parties stared at each other for a second, almost a moment of understanding. But as soon as it had come, it passed, and Bakura (the cute one) cleared his throat.  
  
"Is this the home of Fukawari Kono?"  
  
"I am he." Fukawari Kono smiled, almost knowingly. Much to Yugi-tachi's s surprise, he stepped aside and made a welcoming gesture with his hand. "Please, do come in." He turned into the house and started walking, door still open. Perplexed, Jonouchi followed, and soon the rest of the group did as well.  
  
The inside of the house, like the outside, was homey and cozy. The old man led them to a study, where they sat down in a high-backed chair. He gestured at a couch, inviting them to sit down.  
  
When they were all comfortably seated, he spoke.  
  
"Yugi Mouto...what can I do for you?"  
  
"Well, sir, I-" Yugi stopped dead. "...Wait...how do you know my NAME?"  
  
Mr. Fukawari smirked slightly.  
  
"Well...you're quite a famous young man, aren't you?"  
  
"...Only among people involved in games, particularly Duel Monsters..." Yugi said slowly.  
  
"That would cause you to believe something about me, wouldn't it, Yugi Mouto?"  
  
"...That you're involved in games...?" Jonouchi answered for Yugi, stupidly.  
  
"Correct! Mr. Jonouchi, you've done it!"  
  
The five teens sweat-dropped at the crazy old dude.  
  
"Yugi, tell me...how is your grandfather? It's been a long time since I last saw him, you know." continued Mr. Fukawari, off-handedly.  
  
"_Nani_?? You know my _grandpa, too_?"  
  
"Of course. Why wouldn't I?"  
  
Yugi fell over in surprise.  
  
"How do you Gramps?" Jonouchi asked, bewildered.  
  
"Sugoroku Mouto and I used to be on the game circuit together...back in the day..."  
  
"Back in the day?" Anzu asked.  
  
"Back in the day...when I still had hair, young lady." Mr. Fukawari beamed. "I used to own a game shop and play games professionally.  
  
"Really?" Yugi was very surprised, to say the least.  
  
_Either this is the biggest coincidence in the history of the world, or...  
_  
"I imagine that it wasn't for your grandfather you came...its been years since I've heard from him..." He trailed off. "SO, what CAN I help you with?"  
  
There was an awkward pause.  
  
"Mariko Oda gave use this address." Anzu said, finally.  
  
"I suspected as much."  
  
Everyone fell over AGAIN.  
  
"Wow, Mr. Fukawari...you seem to know a lot of things even WE don't." said Jonouchi, sweat-dropping.  
  
He smiled.  
  
"Not really...it's been years since I've spoken to Mariko as well. She always struck me as being a bit, er, high-strung, when I knew her, so...well, I suppose she was pleasant enough with me..."  
  
"She was awfully broken when we visited her." Anzu sighed softly. She didn't like to see anyone unhappy.  
  
"About Seto, I'm sure."  
  
Everyone started.  
  
"What...? Than you knew-"  
  
"Of course, of course. I'm amazed Mariko _herself_ hasn't noticed her nephew on the cover of countless magazines and newspapers...I wonder if she gets the newspaper..." He finished, half to himself. "I keep track of him, you see. I like to know what he and his brother are up-to."  
  
Yugi-tachi was astonished.  
  
"Wait..." said Jonouchi, finally. "How do you know Kaiba?"  
  
"...'Kaiba'...? Ah, yes. Him. Well, I don't."  
  
"You...don't...but you just said-"  
  
"Ahh, here's the thing. I said I knew SETO. I've never met 'Kaiba'."  
  
"Fine." said Jonouchi. How do you know SETO, then?"  
  
"And my grandpa!" Yugi added.  
  
Fukawari thought for a moment.  
  
"Hm...which question to answer first? I might as well go in order, in any case."  
  
He gestured to Yugi.  
  
"I met your grandfather many years ago at a _Go_ tournament." He began. "Neither of us were participating, as it was a championship in Nagoya, and we were both young and inexperienced. _Go_ is something that truly improves with age..." he trailed off dreamily, "...To any extent, we were both spectators. We were watching the semi-finals, one of them anyway, and I unwittingly made an, er-comment-about the players' strategies."  
  
"You mean?"  
  
"_Hai_. Kibitzing. At least that's what THEY called it. Making any sort of comment, at that level of play, warranted being kicked out of the hall for the remainder of the tournament.  
  
"They were about to do just that-kick me out-when your grandfather cut it. He vouched for me. Claimed that we were friends, and that he knew one of the players in the game, and that my punishment was too harsh. He said he would accompany me outside while the game of _go _was finished.  
  
"I couldn't believe they fell for it..."

* * *

_"Well, you're home free. We can just go back inside when they're done."  
  
"Why...why did you defend me...back there? We've never even met!"  
  
"Yes...well, I've been watching you since the start of this tournament. Am I right in thinking you've been watching me as well?"  
  
"...Fair enough. You intrigue me. What is your name?"  
  
"Mouto, Sugoroku Mouto. You?"  
  
"Fukawari Kono. Tell me, Mouto...why were you watching me?"  
  
"You seemed nice. Why were you watching me?"  
  
"I think it was because you were watching me first."_

* * *

"We just laughed. We were very alike...very different as well. A dangerous combination...we became both close friends and fierce rivals."  
  
"Rivals? In what?" Yugi was temporarily distracted from Kaiba by the story.  
  
"In many different things...games, mostly. We both loved games. We used to play each other...oh, in just about everything. Young, hotheaded men are prone to a sort of...rivalry, as well you know." He nodded his head in Yugi's direction.  
  
"Oh, I see. So, you knew my grandpa HOW well?"  
  
"Quite well. I used to own a game shop here in Kyoto, before retiring."  
  
"Wow! So you and Mouto-san were also rivals in that area, too?"  
  
"Of course not, dear...different cities."  
  
Anzu blushed.  
  
"Oh, I forgot..."  
  
There was a moment of uneasy quiet.  
  
"...Fukawari-san?"  
  
"Hm?" He drew his attention from Jonouchi, whom he had been studying, to Yugi.  
  
"I was wondering...how did you know Oda-san sent us here?"  
  
The old man sighed wearily.   
  
"Ah. Your question, Mr. Jonouchi, is about to be answered."  
  
Jonouchi raised an eyebrow.  
  
"This house..." The old man got up from his chair and walked over to the window overlooking the street. The children were still playing ball, laughing and running around.   
  
He stared in silence.  
  
"I have lived here for almost 13 years, now. But it seems just yesterday that I first set foot in this building. Most of the people in the neighborhood were young families, I felt out of place from the start. I was walking down the street over there," He pointed out the window, "With a ridiculous number of bags and no one helping me carry them. Several neighborhood children came to, er, watch me. They found my predicament so amusing that they took it upon themselves to shout out...words of encouragement."  
  
"So basically you're saying they made fun of you."  
  
"Quite. Until another boy stepped in."  
  
They all knew what was coming next.  
  
"It was a slight boy, only three years old. He told off the other children, then recruited his parents to help me." He smiled reminiscently. "His parents were very kind, and we remained close friends for...the rest of their lives. And as for Seto, the boy-" he grinned, "-he enjoyed his time in this house immeasurably. So much, in fact, that I began to think of him as...a surrogate grandson, I suppose." His face was suddenly very grave.  
  
"Naturally, we did many different things...but one favorite of mine was to pass on my expertise." He looked exceptionally pleased. "I never dreamed it would serve him so well."  
  
"Wait...you're saying you taught _the_ Seto Kaiba how to play?" Anzu gaped.  
  
"Yes, well, you don't see him giving credit where credit is due, do you?"  
  
Fukawari-san was still smiling.  
  
"I've wanted to visit him for some time you see, but I knew he could have easily contacted me if he wanted to...and so obviously I didn't."  
  
He sighed heavily.   
  
"I don't want to trouble him-I know he's made a new life for himself. I've seen who he's become."  
  
He smiled again.  
  
"But when he was small-oh, the times we had! I've never met a cleverer child, more willing to learn. Even back in those days I was no spring chicken-I was often bedridden. And he would stick by me. He used to sit by my bed and peel apples for me to eat. And I taught him...an exceptional boy."  
  
There was a long silence.  
  
"And I wasn't the only one who enjoyed his company..."  
  
Suddenly, the door banged open, and they could hear footsteps.  
  
"Ojiisan! Ojiisan! I'm here!"  
  
A girl, about their age, ran haphazardly into the room, knocking something over in the process. Her long, black hair was tied in a high ponytail, and it hung around her shoulders, framing her face. She was smiling at first, but at the sight of them she frowned. Her looks darkened even more after seeing Jonouchi and Honda.  
  
"What're you lot doing here? Don't you know this is a private residence?"

* * *

Ieyre: Well, that was crap. A crappy birthday present to myself.  
  
Yami Ieyre: _(to readers)_ It was her birthday yesterday.  
  
Ieyre: And this chapter is really _(expletive deleted).  
_  
Yami Ieyre:......Woah, you have issues today. I think we should just finish up...  
  
Ieyre: Yeah, whatever. Oh, and by the way, Fukawari-san is based on a real character from the first Yu-Gi-Oh! series, that thing with teaching Seto games and the apple thing is loosely based on one of the 'Death-T' characters from the original TV series. Except he was dead in that, and Seto brought back his brain Oo...yeah, my baby's a little disturbed. And obsessed with 'putting the past behind him' (He should hang out with Simba). But I love him anyway.  
  
Yami Ieyre:............  
  
Ieyre: R&R! 


End file.
